The Wishmaker Project
by SeeNoEvil121
Summary: After a strange encounter with an old lady at a carnival, Kiyomaro and Megumi find themselves switched around with their partners! Join them in their adventure to return to normal, while at the same time, trying to survive the battle for King!
1. Prologue: So you Wish It, So Shall It Be

Summary: After a strange encounter with an old lady at a carnival, Kiyomaro, Megumi, Folgore, and find themselves as Mamono, a

**Summary:** _After a strange encounter with an old lady at a carnival, Kiyomaro and Megumi find themselves switched around with their partners! Join them in their adventure to return to normal, while at the same time, trying to survive the battle for King!_

**Disclaimer: **I do not in any way own Konjiki no Gash Bell.

**A/N: Alright, ladies and gentlemen! The Wishmaker Project is officially underway! This is just something random that came to mind after watching the movie 'Big'. I'll let you know, humor is far from my main genre of writing, as my readers should know XD, but I'll try my best to make this 'humorous'. Don't forget to leave reviews! This is in no way related to my other stories. This may or may not be continued depending on responses.**

The Wishmaker Project

**Chapter 1**

**Prologue: So You Wish It, So Shall It Be**

He couldn't believe they managed to drag him here. A carnival, of all things! It wasn't that Kiyomaro didn't enjoy having fun, he just disliked carnivals. Especially the annoying, overly tall beings with bright red hair known as...

_Clowns…_Kiyomaro thought to himself with a shudder. He knew they were around; he had to be careful to avoid them.

"Unu, Kiyomaro!" Gash whined impatiently. Kiyomaro looked down at the demon; who now held a yellow balloon animal in the shape of a giraffe in his hand. "Look, Kiyomaro! It's a long necked horse!" Animal Balloons meant clowns. Kiyomaro shuddered slightly.

"It's called a Giraffe, Gash!" Tio said matter-of-factly, her arms crossed. "And they're not horses, everyone knows they're dinosaurs!"

_Dinosaurs? Come on, Tio, you're supposed to be the smart one._ Kiyomaro thought to himself. He wouldn't dare _say_ it to the pink haired Demon; after all, he needed his head attached to his neck, and knowing Tio, she'd rip it off at the mention of any sort of insult. He was about to open his mouth to correct the two when Megumi's voice beat him to it.

"No, I thought they were Camels…" Megumi said thoughtfully.

"Actually, their closest relation is a Camel." Kiyomaro stated absentmindedly. "But they have their own family; I think it's Giraffidae…"

"Told you it was a horse! Everyone knows camel are horses!" Gash said to Tio.

"Are not! Didn't you hear Kiyomaro? They're Giraff─" Tio tried. She tried pronouncing it again before looking to Kiyomaro, aggravated. "What was it again?"

"Never mind, it's not important. A giraffe is a giraffe," Kiyomaro said uncomfortably. "Let's just go…" He started walking when something red and fluffy caught his eye.

To his left, a child was waiting impatiently for a clown with big red hair to make an animal balloon. Kiyomaro looked away quickly, steadily getting nervous. _It's a man in a suit. It's a man in a suit._ He repeated to himself. It helped a little, but never for long. Ever since seeing a movie about a homicidal clown at a young age, he was scarred for life.

"You alright, Kiyomaro?" Megumi asked as if sensing his nervousness. "You tensed up suddenly."

"Y-yeah! Of course!" Kiyomaro said. "Let's go over there," _Scared of clowns and yet I face a Demon like walk in the park._ He thought bitterly to himself. _How pathetic can I get?_

"Hey, Megumi! It's a wish-maker!" Tio exclaimed, pointing to a booth where an old, crooked woman sat with a crystal ball and a deck of cards before her. Kiyomaro rolled his eyes.

_A wish-maker? Please! They don't actually believe in that! _He thought incredulously.

"Megumi, let's go make a wish!" Tio continued.

"Alright, alright. You don't mind, do you, Kiyomaro?" Megumi asked.

Kiyomaro sighed and walked toward them. At least it was away from the clown. That was really all he was concerned about. He looked at the old woman as he stopped behind Gash. Her hair was white and tied in a tight bun behind her head. She wore an extravagant headpiece, and a dress to match, and had way too much jewelry on for one person. A sign atop the booth read "Wish Granter".

"I think she's busy," Kiyomaro said uncomfortably, watching her sift through her deck of cards.

"Not at all, boy," The woman said, not looking up from her cards. "Please, leave the money and make your wish. It will be granted."

"Kiyomaro! I want to make a wish!" Gash said with excitement.

"A wish? What do you want to wish for?" Kiyomaro asked. He watched the Demon consider it for several moments before looking at Megumi. Gash moved to Tio and whispered in her ear.

"Why would you want to wish something so dumb?" Tio asked.

"Well don't you want to as well?"

Tio went silent. "See! You wish for it too!" Gash continued. They looked at each other for a moment in silence.

"Alright!" They said. Their book owners placed the money on the table "We wish we could change places with our partners," They stated at the same time. The humans looked at them with surprise. Change places? Why?

"Does the other party oblige?" The woman asked. They looked at each other and smiled. Why not play into their little fantasy?

"Yeah," They said in unison and they placed the money on the table.

"So you wish it, so shall it be," She said, waving her hand in front of them.

**A/N:** A few things: I don't know if Kiyomaro is really afraid of clowns, but I thought it would be a fun little tidbit to add. Most of you should know what the mentioned 'homicidal clown movie' is. Cookies if you name it in your review, which I hope you won't forget to make!

SNE121


	2. Chapter 1: Problem! Bodies Switched!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Konjiki no Gash Bell or any themes involved.

**The Wishmaker Project**

**Chapter 1**

**Problem! Bodies Switched!?**

The sound of an alarm woke Kiyomaro from his sleep at six thirty Sunday morning. He turned away from the sound in bed, covering his head with the pillow. It was way too early to be awake on a Sunday, and since Gash was complaining all night about not getting his wish granted, he didn't get much sleep to begin with.

"Kiyomaro, turn it off!" He heard his own voice complain. Kiyomaro's eyes snapped open. Who was that? He sat up quickly in bed, reaching for the spell book, only to find that he was sleeping on the floor, on Gash's futon.

"Kiyomaro!" His own voice repeated.

"Gash?" He asked, only to hear Gash's voice come from his own mouth. Now, both of them sat up and looked at each other.

"Kiyomaro… you're…" Gash began

"Me…" Kiyomaro finished. They screamed with shock, the alarm still ringing. A bird flew from the windowsill, cawing, almost as if laughing.

Moments later, there was a knock on the door. "Kiyomaro, Gash?" Kiyomaro's mother asked. She entered the room shortly after and looked at the two, standing on their beds and staring at each other as if complete strangers. "For heaven's sake, Kiyomaro, turn off that alarm! It's six thirty in the morning!"

Kiyomaro, (In Gash's body), reached for the alarm and turned it off quickly. "Thank you, Gash." Hana said with a smile. She looked at Gash (Who to her looked like Kiyomaro), with a sudden serious expression. "Now, what's the meaning of this, Kiyomaro?"

Gash looked at her, confused. "I─"

"He thought he saw someone outside the window, Mother," Kiyomaro covered quickly, desperately hoping he sounded like Gash.

"On the second floor…?" Hana asked skeptically.

"It looked like a person, but in reality, it was an enormous bird!" Gash said dramatically, stretching his arm to emphasize an impossible size. Kiyomaro put his head in his hands with embarrassment. It was cute to do something like that when you were a child, but at the age of fifteen? It just wasn't right.

"Uh-huh," Hana muttered. "Well, since you're up, you can help me make breakfast,"

At this, Gash froze. Him? Cook? Sure, he was in Kiyomaro's body, but he couldn't cook if his life depended on it! The first time he had tried, he managed to cut his finger, and since then, hadn't picked up a knife. He glanced at Kiyomaro for a brief moment, who had a similar look on his face. "I can't?" Gash tried.

"And why not?" Hana demanded, placing her hands on her hips. Her expression softened moments later and she yawned. "Never mind. Just get dressed; breakfast will be ready soon,"

"Alright, thanks," Kiyomaro said. As soon as his mother left, he jumped onto his own bed and grabbed the red spell book from the nightstand. It was a lot heavier then usual; but considering his size, it was to be expected. He dropped it on the bed and sat before it. Gash sat down as well, sighing deeply.

"What's going on, Kiyomaro?" He asked. Kiyomaro looked at him momentarily. It would be strange to hear Gash talk to him in that tone of voice, and even stranger yet to hear himself speaking in Gash's.

"I don't know," Kiyomaro stated. He opened the spell book and looked through the pages. "No good, I can't read it,"

"Maybe…" Gash began, looking out the window. "Maybe that wish Tio and I made came true! Unu, Kiyomaro! What if─"

"It's not!" Kiyomaro said quickly. "And don't say that irritating 'unu'. I never say something like that!"

"Well, someone's grouchy," Gash said, taking the spell book.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" Kiyomaro demanded, standing on the bed. Even though Gash was sitting, he had to look up to stare at his eyes. _How irritating!_ He thought to himself.

"Well…" Gash began, opening the book. "If the wish really did come true, and we traded places, then maybe that means _I_ can read the book," He skimmed through the pages, searching for a legible one. "After all, I am Kiyomaro now, right?"

"No!" Kiyomaro snarled. "You're Gash! I'm Kiyomaro! Nothing's going to change that!"

"Unu, Kiyomaro! I can read it!" Gash announced. Kiyomaro had to jump to hit his head, and Gash clutched the spot with tears in his eyes. "What'd you do that for?!"

"I told you not to say that!" Kiyomaro said. He pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "Look, Gash. If this is really happening, then we need to find a way to reverse it,"

"But why?" Gash asked. "This is fun. I like being Kiyomaro!"

"Because if you can read the book, that means you're the book owner!" Kiyomaro explained. "And if you're the book owner that makes me the Demon. Do you understand?"

Gash looked at him blankly. _He may have my body, but he's still so ignorant._ Kiyomaro thought to himself. "It means that if that book burns, Gash, I'll be sent to your world instead!"

At this, Gash's expression became serious. He looked at the red book and held it out to Kiyomaro. "Then I just won't read from the book," Gash decided. "Until we find a way to reverse it, I'll leave it to you,"

Kiyomaro looked at Gash for a moment before taking the spell book. Where was he going to put something like this? He thought for a brief moment before jumping off the bed and going to his closet.

It was annoying how difficult it was to get the sliding door open. When he at last managed to do that, he looked on the shelves for a small backpack. He found it on the third shelf, and reached for it. The strap lay just out of his grasp.

"Need some help?" Gash asked.

"No," Kiyomaro snapped without even looking at him. He put his foot onto the second shelf and lifted himself up enough to grab the backpack. With an accomplished smile, he took hold of the strap. He didn't take into account that there were most likely several other objects on top of it, and when he pulled the backpack, blankets and clothes fell on top of him.

He fell back with surprise, hitting the floor hard. The first thing he heard was Gash laughing at him.

"And what's so funny?!" He demanded, turning to face him. He pointed an accusing finger at Gash, who didn't respond. "Well?"

Gash shook his head and stood, walking toward Kiyomaro. "Am I really that small?"

"No, you're a seven year old child and you're the size of a giant." Kiyomaro responded sarcastically as he searched for the book. "Of course you're this small!" Finding the red book at last, he put it in the backpack and heaved it onto his back.

"You don't have to be so mean, Kiyomaro," Gash said, frowning. Kiyomaro looked up at him briefly before pacing back and forth.

"Ok, Gash, first thing's first, you can't call me Kiyomaro," He said.

"But that's your name," Gash argued.

"Obviously, but think about it. I'm in your body; nobody knows that I'm me and that you're you, and that we became each other,"

He looked up at the confused boy and crossed his arms in annoyance. "Alright, just pretend you're me. I'll have to go to school with you so you don't screw up, so─"

"No," Gash declared, suddenly being more adult like. "You can't come to school with me tomorrow, Gash,"

Kiyomaro blinked, impressed. "Perfect," He declared. "I think we can do this; I know your personality pretty well by now, so I should have it covered on your end."

After about a half hour of discussion, the sound of the doorbell ringing frantically filled their ears upstairs, and the two boys looked at each other. Kiyomaro glanced at the clock, which now read seven-ten.

They quickly went to his door, Kiyomaro practically jogging and Gash taking several long strides. "Unu, it's easier to move when I'm this tall!" Gash declared excitedly.

"Stop saying that!" Kiyomaro whispered as he reached for the doorknob. He opened the door and the two listened as the front door was opened.

"Megumi, Tio! Please, come in, is everything alright?"

"Yes, Ma'am, everything's fine," Tio's voice declared. "We need to talk to Kiyomaro and Gash; it's important,"

"They're right upstairs in the room. Go on up," Hana said, smiling. "Breakfast is almost ready, I'll make extra,"

"Thank you," Tio said. Moments later, Gash and Kiyomaro heard rapid footsteps running up the stairs. They backed away from the door as Tio and Megumi pushed it open harshly before practically slamming it shut behind them. Megumi rushed to Kiyomaro, kneeling beside him.

"Gash, it's so strange!" Megumi declared. "Remember that wish we made yesterday? Well, I woke up, and I was Megumi!"

"Kiyomaro, I got switched with Tio!" Tio said to Gash, looking up at him. Gash and Kiyomaro looked at each other, surprised.

"We, uh… have the same problem, Megumi," Kiyomaro said. Megumi looked at Kiyomaro with surprise.

"K-Kiyomaro? Is that you?" Tio-Megumi asked. Kiyomaro nodded. So Tio and Megumi were switched too. The two girls looked at each other briefly, surprised. "You…"

Kiyomaro nodded and motioned for them to sit. The two girls did so, Tio and Gash sitting on the bed while he and Megumi stood.

"Ok, let's take a few minutes to figure this out." Kiyomaro began, pacing. Megumi stood, leaning against the desk with her arms crossed, and her head scarcely reached the top drawer. "So, Tio's Megumi, Megumi's Tio, Gash is me, and I'm Gash," He said. He looked to the others, who nodded briefly. "Now, the next thing is to figure out _how_ this happened."

"We already know that," Tio declared. Megumi and Kiyomaro looked at her, and Gash, who seemed to understand as well, continued.

"That wish that Tio and I made, it came true,"

"I told you to stop saying that, It's not possible," Kiyomaro said shortly after.

Megumi suddenly stood straight. "Not possible? Kiyomaro, we walk around with children who have bizarre powers and you think that a wish isn't possible?"

"Well, what do _you _think it is?" Kiyomaro asked. Megumi remained silent, her cheeks red.

"Guys, breakfast is ready," Hana called from downstairs. Kiyomaro looked at Gash, who called back down quickly.

"Be right there!"

"Just act like each other, and no one will know, got it?" Kiyomaro declared.

"Got it," The other three answered.

**A/N: **Alright, I realized during the writing of this chapter how confusing this may be. I will refer to characters by their actual names, but just to keep thing simple:

Megumi: Tio's body.

Tio: Megumi's body.

Gash: Kiyomaro's body

Kiyomaro: Gash's body.

Just imagine them as such, and it should be alright. Seeing as this is an attempted comedy, I don't plan on making too much fighting, but you all know me, so it may change! (Actually, it'll most likely change). You know what, scratch that; I'll _try_ not to make too much fighting, so, readers can feel free to give me chapter ideas. I'll write what you want to see, ladies and gentlemen! (So long as it's appropriate…)

**SeeNoEvil21**


	3. Chapter 2: Convincing? Not in the Least!

**The Wishmaker Project**

**Chapter 2**

**Convincing? Not in the Least!**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the idea for Konjiki no Gash Bell, or the characters involved in this fanfiction. I just toy with them.

(--)

The plan was relatively simple. All they had to do was act like each other, and everything would be fine. No one would find out about the little mishap, and Kiyomaro wouldn't have to make up a clever excuse.

But of course, in the case of Gash Bell and Kiyomaro Takamine, every day things such as acting 'normal' rarely went according to plan. It wasn't so much that Kiyomaro, Tio, Megumi, and Gash didn't know each other enough to be able to act like each other. It was just that when it came down to it, Human and Demon were just nothing alike.

But one would think that Hana Takamine would be able to notice the dramatic difference between yesterdays Kiyomaro, and today's Kiyomaro. After all, he was her only son.

Gash Bell leaned over the table, smelling the large plate of Omelets placed in the center by Hana Takamine. It was strange to see the drool seeping from the fifteen year old, mature body of Kiyomaro Takamine, and even stranger yet to see the young body of Gash Bell, pinching the bridge of his nose and feeling slightly nauseated at stupidity of his partner.

"Kiyomaro," Kiyomaro said with difficulty. It was strange hearing himself speak in the gluttonous Demon's voice, but it was only temporary. He reached his shrunken legs out under the table and kicked the knee of his own body. The result was a small yelp and a sudden stiffness. "Can you had me the juice, please?"

"Oh, yeah Ki─" Gash began. He was interrupted by another kick, and quickly corrected himself. "Uh, Gash," He took hold of the pitcher of juice, automatically taking it with two hands since he wasn't used to having such large ones, and carefully handed it across the table.

Kiyomaro reached out with one arm to take it and instantly regretted doing so. Being so used to having his own body and being able to handle the weight of the pitcher with ease, he used hardly any muscle in holding the juice, and it resulted in the plastic pitcher slipping from his small fist and spilling onto the table.

"Gash!" Hana suddenly scolded. "What are you doing? You know that it's heavy. Kiyomaro, why didn't you pour it for him?"

"I─" Gash started nervously. He never stood well under pressure from Mrs. Takamine.

"I'm sorry, Mother!" Kiyomaro quickly covered. He jumped off his chair and ran toward the kitchen to grab a towel. "It was my fault. I wanted to try pouring it by myself, but I guess I'm too small to do it still," _Damn it! I already screwed up?!_

Kiyomaro never considered the fact that maybe, just maybe, it would be more difficult to adapt to being seven again then he originally imagined. He found a towel and snatched it from its place on a hook beside the stove, then rushed back to the table.

"Gash, let me help," Megumi said. Tio's body stood and took the towel from Kiyomaro's hands.

"Why are you all acting so strange?" Hana asked, eying them strangely. It was odd that the two teenagers were sitting, dumbfounded while the children did all the work. At her statement, everyone stopped what they were doing. Gash had a piece of egg half way out of his mouth, Tio was lifting a large forkful of her own toward her widely opened mouth. Kiyomaro and Megumi looked at her, hands still pressed against the wet towel.

The four didn't respond, but for the remainder of the breakfast ate silently under the watchful eye of Hana Takamine.

(--)

When they were safely outside, they found the courage to speak. "That was a complete distaster," Kiyomaro announced. The others grumbled their agreements, except Gash.

"I don't know," He said. "I think it went alright," At that statement, Tio smacked him in the back of the head. Kiyomaro felt a pang of sympathy for his own body, wondering if he would feel that pain when he returned. Gash clutched his head, crouching slightly with watering eyes.

"What's your idea of 'alright'?" the girl snapped.

"Oi, Tio, stop it. I wouldn't hit Kiyomaro like that," Megumi said, taking hold of the yellow skirt her body wore.

"I don't really care what you'd do. This idiot is going to blow our cover!" Tio said sharply.

"Hey, Tio, cut it out. It wasn't Gash that messed up in there, it was me," Kiyomaro said. He looked up at Tio, a strange concept, and a bit annoying to Kiyomaro. "If anyone's going to blow our cover it's going to be you for acting to immature."

His expression was strangely serious, and the normal glow in Gash's golden eyes was non-existent. All that was apparent was a serious dullness. Tio looked down at him, obviously feeling a bit ashamed of herself, and unable to hold the intense gaze any longer, her eyes drifted away and instead watched an ant crawl across the cement sidewalk.

"Kiyomaro…" Gash complained. He looked down at his partner as he held his stomach. "It hurts a lot…" Gash had gone through four plates of food, the usual amount he was used to, but much more then Kiyomaro's metabolism could handle.

"That's because you're in a human body now," Kiyomaro explained. "Your appetite isn't as big." A growl from his stomach caught his attention and he looked down at his own. "Come to think of it, I'm kind of hungry…"

"Me too, now that you mention it…" Megumi admitted. Being an Idol, she was used to diets and eating small meals. But with Tio's body, she felt like she needed more then the single plate she got. "I guess the metabolism works both ways, huh?"

"Should we find something to eat?" Tio asked aloud. She looked down the street, then behind them. It was a residential area; not many eating places around.

"Yeah, that would be a good idea," Kiyomaro said.

"No… no more food…" Gash suddenly complained. The group turned their head's to look at him and were more then shocked to see him lying on the floor. Kiyomaro tensed instantly and ran toward him.

"Get up, Gash!" He whispered hastily. "Come on, it's just a stomach ache. It'll pass, get up!"

"But Kiyomaro…" Gash complained.

"Gash Bell, get up right now or I won't get you yellowtail!" Kiyomaro threatened. There was a particularly mischievous glint to his eyes, and at the mention of Yellowtail, Gash sat up instantly.

"Yellowtail?!" He asked loudly. Kiyomaro covered his ears a bit too late, and felt as if his eardrums were going to burst.

"Not so loud, idiot!" He snapped. He was suddenly aware of the eyes of several spectators on them. Then, with a cheery tone and a wide smile, he grasped Gash's arm, jumped on his lap, and tugged. At least then, to spectators, it would look like Gash had once again tackled him. "Really, Kiyomaro? Yellowtail? You'll get some for me?"

He looked at Gash with a happy expression, however, his eyes held a warning. _Go along with it or I'll kill you when we get back to normal._ With a shiver, Gash rolled his eyes and responded.

"I guess, Gash, now get off of me," He said. He absently pushed Kiyomaro off and stood, dusting off his pants. He looked at the others, trying to act like Kiyomaro and walked forward. "Let's go guys,"

Tio, Megumi, and Kiyomaro looked at each other with smiles. Gash was getting the hang of it. All they had to do was follow suit.

(--)

Although the four thought they were quite alone other then the few human spectators, there was in fact a person watching them from amongst the shadows. Or to be precise, two people.

"Is that him?" The smaller one asked. His voice was that of a thirteen year old child and had a maturing ring to it.

"Yeah," The older one replied. This voice was deeper, and smelled of cigarettes, and in fact had a glowing one in his mouth. He was maybe thirty five. He held a picture, displaying Kiyomaro with the red glowing spell book and Gash ready for battle. Both were bleeding and determined. "The older boy doesn't seem like much, but the smaller one…"

"So how do we get them alone?" The younger boy asked. At that, the older man inhaled his cigarette, removed it from his mouth, and laughed as he exhaled. Smoke puffed around the smaller boys face, at which point he closed his eyes and helf his breath.

"Simple," He began. His eyes fell upon the two girls, walking and talking with them. "We round up the bait and wait for them to take the bite," He put the cigarette back into his mouth and inhaled into it, this time letting the smoke trail out of his nose and through the gaps in his mouth. "Start with the smaller girl. Then we'll take the older one."

"Roger that, captain," The boy replied. With that, he jumped upward, disappearing into the wind.

The man removed cigarette butt from his mouth and dropped it absently to the ground, crushing it beneath a thick black boot. A wicked smile crossed his lips, exposing perfect teeth. He looked back at the photograph in his hand and the smile thickened. "The invincible duo is going to face their last opponent soon," He said confidently. He turned away, revealing a turquoise spell book, and disappeared down an alleyway.

(--)

Elsewhere, Kiyomaro and Tio were enjoying a full course breakfast in a restaurant as Gash watched hungrily, though resisting the urge to vomit. It wasn't so bad being each other for a few days, they decided. As long as they didn't encounter any enemies.

Little did they know, a storm was coming.

(--)

**TBC**

**A/N:** Ok, so I know I said I'd **try** not to make too much fighting, but I couldn't resist. So here it is, the start of the first attack. I can assure you, there will probably be several throughout the course of the story. I apologize for taking so long, and making it notoriously short. My inspiration has completely died on me. I hope this wasn't too confusing. Remember, my faithful readers, don't forget to review and you will be rewarded! Until next time!

**SNE121**


	4. Chapter 3: School Days

The Wishmaker Project

**The Wishmaker Project**

**Chapter 3**

**School Days: The Kidnapping of an Idol!**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the idea for Konjiki no Gash Bell, or the characters involved in this fanfiction. I just toy with them.

**A/N: **Because I'd prefer not to have Japanese words here, other then the spells, I'm not going to refer use the English versions of the respective terms. I.e., Takamine-kun will be Mr. Takamine. Megumi-chan/san will be Miss Megumi, etcetera. It'll be a bit weird, but I'd prefer it that way.

(--)

It was Monday again. Monday could mean only one thing in the life of teenagers, and that was school. Both Kiyomaro and Megumi were supposed to return to school Monday morning, Megumi to her prestigious private school and Kiyomaro to Mochinoki Public High School. But of course, with neither of them in their real bodies, it was a bit of an issue.

And that is a major understatement.

Kiyomaro Takamine spend the majority of the morning teaching Gash how to tie a tie, as well as actual shoelaces. As long as everything remained in place, there would be no problem, but then came the issue of classroom etiquette. Raising your hand before speaking, referring to your superiors respectfully, and most of all, completing the work assigned to you. Because they never sent Gash to school, it was a strange concept for the boy.

"Just don't talk," Kiyomaro said, as he pulled the green gym bag from under his bed. "If they say anything to you, I'll cover. Just do what I say,"

"What are you talking about, Kiyomaro?" Gash asked, looking down at his partner. He tugged absently at the tie, trying to loosen it. "You're not coming with me,"

At that, Kiyomaro's expression changed. It went from shocked, to completely amused. "Very funny, Gash." He said. He slipped into it, leaving Gash's normal mantle on. He even made sure that the small backpack with the spell book would fit in there with him. He felt safer carrying it around then leaving it in Gash's possession.

"What's funny?" Gash asked. He stood, testing the weight of the book bag in his hands. "I'm being completely serious," Completely serious copper eyes looked down at Kiyomaro, and the blonde boy tilted his head slightly.

"Stop fooling around." He said. "Gash, you can't do this without me there!" Gash merely turned, walking away.

"Watch me," He said. He flashed a smile at Kiyomaro, a strangely knowing smile, and then, opened the door and left.

Kiyomaro stood where he was, one arm halfway through its armhole of the bag costume. Gash couldn't be serious. Kiyomaro wouldn't allow it. But still, he could do nothing but watch as his body exited the room and the sound of the front door slamming shut reached his ears.

"Gash!" Kiyomaro called when his voice reached him. He started to run forward, but tripped on a bag strap and fell flat on his face. He remained on the floor for several moments, frustrated. So this is how the boy felt every time Kiyomaro refused to let him follow. He was starting to feel guilty.

(--)

Tio, however, had a bit of an easier time, however, she was a bit uncomfortable with the concept of wearing a skirt that didn't extend down to her ankles. The school uniform was only knee length. Megumi quickly ran through the usual school routine: enter classroom A-34, take the seat in the third row, fifth from the front, and get ready to take notes. Don't speak unless spoken to, and if possible. She knew that she couldn't go with the girl, but she trusted her enough.

"And one more thing," Megumi said, looking up at her partner. Was that really what she looked like in a school uniform? It was nothing like her usual attire. She shook the thought form her mind as she continued. "If any fans come after you, you have to get away."

"Megumi, who's the one who's always telling _you_ this?" Tio asked, shifting the black book bag from hand to hand. The spell book, several school supplies, and a cell phone were neatly stacked within it, She held it firmly in her right and then tugged at the skirt self consciously.

"Stop doing that. It's fine," Megumi scolded. Then, her expression softened. The girl had a point. Tio was like her manager; a younger sister always looking out for her. She knew what was what in Megumi's world. With a sigh, Megumi looked at the pink watch on her wrist.

"Oh, you're going to be late!" She said. "Remember, don't lose your temper. At school, I'm a pretty passive person. People like to talk, but just don't let it bother you, ok?" She started to shove Tio toward the door.

"Talk? What do you mean?" Tio asked. Megumi stopped briefly, her eyes downcast.

"Don't worry about it." She said. She proceeded to push Tio down the hallway and toward the front door of the large house. "Just go! Hurry!"

"Alright, alright," Tio said. She took a deep breath and then ran out the door. Megumi watched her, her hands clasped tightly in front of her and held to her chin.

"Please," Megumi prayed quietly, watching Tio enter the back seat of the car. "Please, let her do this right." She stopped, taking a moment to laugh, and then added, "Please let _me_ do this right," She closed her eyes, letting the wish sink in, then took a deep breath and exited the house.

(--)

Gash Bell walked patiently down the street toward Mochinoki High School with one thought running through his head. He repeated the words of this thought over and over again, just to make sure he didn't forget.

_I am Kiyomaro Takamine._

It wouldn't be that hard, he decided as he walked. After all, he'd seen Kiyomaro at school. Talk with the friends, answer some complicated math question, it wouldn't be a problem.

But then again, Gash was a dropout, even in the Demon World. He rubbed his temples, then pushed the thought out of his head. _No! I'm not Gash! I'm Kiyomaro! Just believe that and you can do anything!_

"Mr. Takamine!" A familiar voice called from behind. Gash stopped instantly. He recognized that voice, even without having to see the face. He smiled broadly and turned around to see Suzume Mizuno rushing toward him.

"Good morning, Su─" He stopped. What did Kiyomaro call her? Oh! Right! "Mizuno," He corrected quickly.

"Good morning, Mr. Takamine," She said, her usual smile plastered on her round face. "You're early today. Normally I meet you back there," She released her book bag with one hand and pointed the direction she had come from.

"Oh, sorry, Mizuno," Gash said. "I just wanted to get to school early today."

Suzume's smile widened, if possible, and she fell into step beside Gash, standing close. "Well, that's good then," She decided. "Better to be early then to not be at all, right?"

Gash smiled. "Yup. Exactly." He said with a ring that was uncharacteristic of Kiyomaro. Suzume looked at him, an expression that was mildly serious.

"You seem strange today, Mr. Takamine," She said. She spun slightly and fell into step in front of him, walking backwards to examine him. "I don't know what it is, but there's something different about you today,"

Gash stiffened slightly, then relaxed. Kiyomaro wouldn't get nervous about something like this. But does she know. He tried his best to remain calm, but couldn't help the nervousness from creeping into his voice. "D-different?"

"Yeah," Suzume continued. She leaned forward slightly to get a better look at his face when her foot caught on a large crack in the sidewalk. She lost her footing and with a cry, fell back, her book bag flying from her hand as she tried to regain her balance.

"Miss Suzume!" Gash exclaimed on pure impulse. He caught the bag as it fell, then dropped it and his own as he stepped forward to catch her. His wand closed tightly around her arm and he stepped forward for leverage.

In the end, he lost his balance, and they both fell, Suzume on her behind and Gash on his knees beside her. They both remained where they were for a moment, Gash rubbing his knees absently and Suzume still watching him closely.

"Its your eyes," She said carefully. Gash reached for the book bags, which were close by, and had picked them up when she spoke. He looked at her, confused.

"Eyes?" He asked. He had an intense urge to find a way to look at them, to see what Suzume was seeing, but resisted it. There was nothing around to see.

"Yeah," Suzume continued. "They're not as intense. They're carefree, like when we were kids. You look… happy," she concluded.

Gash's eyed widened the slightest bit. Wasn't Kiyomaro usually happy? Then again, for as long as he'd known his partner, he always had some distant look in his eyes. The look of someone who had seen a lot, who was used to being alone. Gash could sympathize with that, and thus was able to notice. So Suzume cared enough to see it too? Or was she just like them?

Gash smiled and his expression softened as he held out Suzume's bag. "That's because I am happy, Miss Suzume," He said. He waited until she took it before standing and holding out a hand to help her.

She smiled in return and took it, allowing him to pull her up. She released it and looked at him for several more moments.

"Mr. Takamine," She said carefully. Her face was a bit red, and she looked embarrassed.

"Yeah?" Gash asked in response. He was a little confused once again. Why did she look like that? Was she sick or something?"

"You… called me by my first name," She said. Gash stiffened again. _Ah! Mistake!_

"I-I did?" He asked. "I guess I didn't notice!" It was a ridiculously careless mistake. "Well, let's go, Mizuno! We don't want to be late!"

A small falter in her expression, then, a nod with a slight 'yes'. Then the two continued onward to school.

(--)

The car ride itself was nerve wrecking. Tio could only imagine what it would be like when she actually arrived at the large school. She took several deep breaths, and had to calm herself more then once on the way there, much to the confusion of her driver. On several occasions, the man asked if she wanted to stop, to which she replied a polite 'no thank you'.

She had to be Megumi today. She just _had_ to get this right.

"Miss Megumi, we're here," The driver said. Tio felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter wildly and had the sudden urge to vomit. She took another deep breath and smiled.

"Thank you," She said as calmly as she could.

"I'll be here to pick you up at three fifteen exactly," He continued.

"Alright, thank you," She said again. "See you then," With that, she exited the car.

Tio was completely thrown off guard by the cameras, questions, and microphones, all thrown at her at once. This was Megumi's school? She felt herself getting dizzy and agitated and rushed through the school gates. She didn't stop until she reached the stairs leading up to the main building, at which point she had to catch her breath.

Almost immediately, a different feeling struck Tio. It wasn't a feeling of suffocation that she had just felt. It was the feeling that she was being watched; stared at. She stood straight and looked around.

The majority of the girls at the school were looking at her with looks of distaste. She heard a few whispers, a few laughs, and a few grunts of disgust. It took her a few moments to realize they were all talking about _her_.

So _this_ is what Megumi meant when she said 'people like to talk'. They were talking about her, and not nice things either. She gathered herself up and ascended the stairs, her eyes directed straight forward as she held her book bag in front of her to cover the skirt.

"She thinks she's so cool, just because she's an idol,"

"She doesn't fit in here,"

"Megumi, can I have your autograph?"

"Look, it's Ooumi Megumi!"

All spoken with mocking or disgusted tones. Tio stopped at the top of the stairs, her fists clenching tightly around the handle of her book bag. So this was what Megumi had to put up with at school? It was a wonder she decided to come.

_Just don't say anything, Tio. Megumi wouldn't_. She took a deep breath and held it for several moments, swallowing her anger, then, when she felt certain she was calm, she continued forward into the school.

(--)

_How the hell does Gash walk in this?_ Kiyomaro asked himself as he walked, no, waddled through the front entrance of Mochinoki High. The Gym Bag disguise was practically impossible to maneuver in, yet Gash could do it on a daily basis without a problem. The boy was truly remarkable.

Kiyomaro was tempted, more then once, to just throw the damn thing away. But he needed it. How was he going to get to Gash without a disguise? He had to swallow al of his pride, just to walk down the street in this thing. It helped to know that he wasn't in his own body, and he wasn't humiliating _himself_, but still.

He walked toward the front door and slipped in, instantly running across the tile floor and hiding in a small alcove leading to the bathrooms.

_Alright, I'm in._ He thought to himself proudly. _Now, I just have to get to the classroom without getting caught._

A blonde head poked out into the hallway and looked down. It was deserted enough. And if he had to, he could retreat into the gym bag. With a deep breath, he stepped out of his hiding place and walked toward the stairs.

Climbing them in the costume was nearly impossible. Kiyomaro had to crawl up, just to make sure he didn't fall, and even then, he'd lost his footing twice. But once he reached the top, he was safe. It was good his homeroom was only on floor up rather then the maximum of four. It would be impossible for him to climb up that high, especially with this attire.

Kiyomaro walked calmly into the hallway and stopped dead at what he saw. A teacher was walking toward the stairs. Kiyomaro felt himself starting to panic. If he got caught now, all of this would be for nothing. He looked left and right for a place to hide, and when he found none, he pulled his arms and legs into the bag, and finally his head, and zipped it up from the inside.

He remained completely silent as the footsteps approached, then stopped beside him.

"A gym bag?" The teacher questioned. He felt a foot lightly jab at his ribs and resisted the urge to squirm away from it. _Please, please, just leave. Leave it alone and walk away._

But it seemed the gods weren't in his favor. He felt a sudden tug, and then he was pulled off the ground. _No, no, no!_ He complained. He willed himself to keep from moving.

"Damn it, what the hell's in this bag? It weighs a ton!" Kiyomaro heard the teacher say. He felt the pull of the straps being held vanish, then the sinking feeling of falling. It wasn't long, but being crouched in the bag, it hurt. He heard his knees smack against the ground and bit his lip. _Damn idiot! Even I can hold this bag easily._

Then, the sound of a zipper. His eyes widened and before any plan could reach him, he grasped the zipper from the inside and held it. The teacher struggled to pull it open, pulling against Kiyomaro's grip. "Jammed," He decided. He released the zipper and Kiyomaro heaved a sigh of relief.

"Damn it, just leave," Kiyomaro whispered in a barely audible voice. His prayers were answered. He heard footsteps again, this time getting farther, and that was when he knew the man was gone. He carefully unzipped his compartment and peeked out. The hallway was empty. As quickly as he could, he slipped his arms and legs out and ran down the hall toward his classroom. "So this is what Gash has to go through when he comes here?" Kiyomaro asked himself. He had to admit, the kid was a trooper.

(--)

Megumi was bored. She truly expected being a kid again to be _fun_ at least, but that didn't seem to be the case. With no one to have fun _with_, it was boring as sitting in class all day. Then again, it was nice to be able to walk around without worrying about the paparazzi attacking.

She only wished she would have had the sense to bring some money. If being a kid wasn't fun, walking around a shopping center was a complete bore without some money to spend. And then there was the constant nagging from adults, asking where her parents were and where she was supposed to be. How annoying.

She was about to enter a magazine store when a hand grasped her shoulder lightly. She turned around, forgetting how short she actually was once again, and looked at a pair of dark blue jeans tucked into black boots. "Excuse me, little girl, but where are your parents?"

Megumi rolled her eyes. Here was another one. She looked up at the man and crossed her arms, moving back.

"They're not here," She said. The man was tall, with a black shirt and a cigarette between his lips. His eyes were blue, his hair blonde, and Megumi noticed with distaste that he reeked of cigarettes.

"You know, it isn't safe to walk around without your parents. Especially at your age," He took her arm and started to pull her away.

"Hey, let go of me!" Megumi complained. "Mister, I'm fine. I can take care of myself. Let me go!"

The man didn't release her, but instead tugged her harder, forcing her to fall into step with him. "I said let _go_!" Megumi snarled. She kicked the man's shins as hard as she could and he released her with a grunt. She turned and started to run when a boy appeared in front of her, much taller then herself. His hair was white, his eyes turquoise. Megumi got a sickening feeling as she looked at him.

"You're not going anywhere, Demon," The boy said. Megumi's eyes widened with fear and she found herself unable to move.

_What? A Demon?_ She asked herself. From behind her, she heard the metallic sound of a glowing spell book, flowing with energy, and from the corner of her eye saw the teal light.

"Jikiru!" The book owner yelled. Megumi found her footing at that moment and turned to run as a gust of wind was sent in her direction.

Before she could even get a few steps away, it hit her back, knocking her off her feet with a cry. It hurt more then she would have imagined, even in a Demon's body. Was this what Tio went through during their battles? She found herself paralyzed on the ground for several moments, tears streaming from her eyes,

"You seem to be close friends with the Demon, Gash Bell," The man with the book said. "I'm sure once we have you and that idol girl, they'll come running to your rescue,"

A foot connected with the back of her head and the world went black.

(--)

Gash looked boredly at the chalkboard from his seat beside the window, his chin resting lightly in his palm. He had a pen out, though it was pretty useless, seeing as he couldn't write well, nor could he really read too fluently. All he had to do was act the part of boring, no fun Kiyomaro at school. He was actually starting to feel sleepy…

His eyes began to close when he felt something nudge against his foot. They opened wide and he looked down, his eyes falling upon a green gym bag. _That looks strangely familiar…_ He found himself thinking. He stared at it for several moments, trying to figure out where he'd seen it. _Oh, that's right! That's mine! But I don't remember bringing that with me…_

Then, the zipper started to open, and he caught sight of a flash of a golden eye. "Kiyomaro?" He asked, surprised. "Wow, you actually made it!"

"Mr. Takamine!" The math teacher snapped from the front. Gash turned his head to look, suddenly frightened.

"Y-yes, sir?" He asked. His eyes shot down to Kiyomaro, then back at the teacher.

"Since you seem confident enough to start talking to yourself, why don't you speak up so we can hear you and answer the question?"

"Stand up, idiot!" Kiyomaro whispered from within the bag. Gash did as he was told and stood, looking blankly at the board where the complex geometry equation was displayed. He didn't know the answer!

"Uhm…" Gash started, looking at it. He looked down at Kiyomaro, who was displaying all the fingers on one hand, and two on the other. He looked at them for a moment, counting.

Six!

He stated his answer and the entire class fell silent. They all stared at him, dumbfounded. Even the teacher was surprised. "That's incorrect," The man said. "Take your seat, Mr. Takamine,"

Gash did as he was instructed and sat down. He looked down at Kiyomaro, who looked absolutely infuriated with him. The single golden eye he could see was burning dangerously, and so Gash remained silent for the rest of the day.

_What an idiot._ Kiyomaro thought to himself. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sat quietly in the bag, waiting for the day to end.

(--)

It was absolutely terrible spending the day at Megumi's school. The girls there were complete snobs, and to top it off, the one girl that Megumi was actually friends with there was sick. Tio was completely alone.

And she had to deal with people whispering things about Megumi. Megumi this, Megumi that. It was infuriating.

She was doing good through the day. It wasn't until after school that she lost it, when one girl said a bit too much.

"She's always by herself. She's probably too good for us over here. Just because she's an idol. Big deal. I could do something like that easily,"

At that, Tio couldn't stay quiet anymore. She stood, slamming her fist on the table and staring daggers at the girl.

"What do you know?!" She snarled. The girl looked mildly surprised, and a bit afraid of Megumi's sudden outburst. "Do you have any idea how nerve wrecking it is to have to sing constantly? Do you know what it's like to always be on the move, and to never have a moment's peace? It's not a glamorous life!"

"You try being chased around by crazed fanatics. You try balancing a modeling, singing, and acting schedule with school, and still keep up your grades! You probably couldn't last five minutes in Me- My position!"

"You always talk. Do you have any idea how hard it is? Do you?"

Silence. Tio had them cornered. "I didn't think so." She gathered up her school supplies and pushed passed her, storming into the hallway and down the hall.

She arrived at the car after only a few moments, pushing passed the photographers and journalists and slamming the door behind her. She leaned back, trying to catch her breath.

"Is everything alright, Miss Megumi?" A voice asked. She didn't recognize this voice at all, and she could swear she could smell cigarettes. Megumi's driver didn't smoke.

Tio didn't respond, but looked at the driver. He was gazing at her from the rear view mirror and it wasn't until he turned around to look at her that her suspicions were confirmed.

"Now, now, don't panic," The man said. "We're just taking you for a little ride,"

She was suddenly aware of a sharp object place against her side and she looked down. A boy was beside her that she didn't notice before, and he had a knife held to her ribs. Tio stiffened, looking at it, then at the man.

"What do you want?" She demanded.

"Don't worry. We don't want anything from you," The man assured her. "You're just our bait."

"Bait?" Tio asked. "What have you done to Me-Tio?" She snarled, leaning forward with a panicked expression. The knife was pushed a little harder against her side and she leaned back again.

"Relax, your demon is just fine," The man said. "It's the red book owner we're after,"

"Kiyomaro and Gash?" Tio asked.

"Exactly," The man answered. "Just cooperate and we'll keep you alive until they receive our ransom,"

Tio bit her lip. She wanted to pound the boy holding the knife, but this wasn't her body. It wasn't as strong. She leaned back in her chair, forcing herself to remain calm as the car pulled away from the curb and drove off in a direction opposite from her home.

**TBC**

(--)

**A/N:** Woot! Updated in record time! Ok, so this was a little edgy. I wasn't too happy with the result and rewrote it a few times, but here's the final result. Some of it's a bit OOC, I know… but it's hard for me to write Kiyomaro acting like a child. I don't want to embarrass him. :

So here it is, the beginning of the battle part of this fanfiction. Don't forget to review!

SNE121


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